His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
2 Peter 1:3-10
We know we were dead in our trespasses and appointed to wrath like the rest of the world. We have escaped from corruption because of His great love with which He loved us. We didn’t deserve salvation. It is a gift. Ephesians 2:1-10
Our role is to become fruitful and effective in the ministry of reconciliation that He has given to all who are in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19
Peter outlines the actionable steps to achieving this.
Faith + virtue + knowledge + self-control + steadfastness + godliness + brotherly affection + love = Fruitfulness
The following definitions are from Strong’s Concordance.
Faith is pístis – Belief with the predominant idea of trust (or confidence), whether in God or in Christ—the character of one who can be relied on.
Virtue is arétē – A virtuous course of thought, feeling, and action—any particular moral excellence, as modesty, purity.
Knowledge is gnōsis – Enlarged knowledge of the Christian religion, such as belongs to the more advanced, especially of things lawful and unlawful for Christians, moral wisdom, such as is seen in right living.
Self-control is enkráteia – The virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, esp. his sensual appetites.
Stedfastness is hypomonḗ – Patience, constancy, endurance, the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings.
Godliness is eusébeia – Holiness, reverence, respect, piety towards God.
Brotherly Affection is philadelphía – Love of brothers or sisters, brotherly love, the love which Christians cherish for each other as brethren.
Love is agápē – Charity, brotherly love, affection, goodwill, love, benevolence, love feasts.
It would seem that Agápē describes the higher, more sacrificial love with which God loves us. The steps to becoming fruitful appear to be the path to becoming love. Agápē is what Jesus desired from Peter in John 21:15-19. If Peter indeed Agápēd Jesus, then Peter would feed His sheep, as Peter eventually did.
I have observed two streams in Christianity. One believes the pursuit of spiritual and moral excellence is religious and legalistic. They even use the word “religious” as a pejorative. Another stream is works-based and holds that salvation can only be maintained through works. Neither of these is correct.
Peter is clear in stating that now that we have escaped corruption and the hell it ultimately brings, let us embrace the character qualities that support our transformation and our conformity to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29). If we love Him, we obey Him. John 14:15
Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will...
Ephesians 1:4-5
Let’s take time to meditate on each point in the equation and ask the Lord to show us where and how we should pursue our next point of growth.
